KINGTON LANGLEY ANNUAL PARISH MEETING
TUESDAY 27 MARCH 2007

COUNTY COUNCIL REPORT
Cllr. JANE SCOTT, LEADER WILTSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

The year started badly, gradually improved and ended with a glowing report from the Audit Commission.

Shortly after determining our budget for 2006/2007, the Wiltshire PCT’s, under instructions from government to repair their considerable financial deficits, shunted some of their services for health care to the Council, with little warning and at an unexpected cost of around £5 million. Additionally, the calls on our social services from an ageing population placed a bigger than expected financial burden on the Council. The combined result was that we had to contend and deal with a projected deficit in our budget of some £11 million.

Some very difficult decisions had to be taken within our Social Services Department and all aspects of our care services had to be examined and regrettably limited to those residents in critical need. Obviously some people were unhappy to lose some of the discretionary support previously available but we have ensured that no person has been put at risk by the actions we had to take. I should add that all departments in County Hall were required to make savings to balance the budget which I am pleased we were able to do by the end of the year.

In the autumn we were given the opportunity to apply to government for a re-organisation of local government in Wiltshire. The options were to follow a "Pathfinder" course of working more closely in partnership with the 4 district councils or submitting a bid for just one new council in the county to replace the 5 existing ones. Three of the district councils were not interested in a pathfinder course and after an intensive study of the probable savings to residents of one council and the probability of better and more joined up services more readily available locally, the Council agreed to submit a business case to government for a Unitary authority in Wiltshire. We will not know the government's response until July.

I will be very happy to talk to the Parish Council and villagers in more detail about a unitary council and its advantages should you wish me to do so.

The new History Centre in Chippenham has been completed in time and under budget and is, in my opinion, an attractive asset to the town. It will be open to the public later in the year and will be well worth a visit.

Finally, I am pleased to be able to report that the Audit Commission has just awarded the County Council the highest rating of 4 Stars, a first for any council in Wiltshire. This confirms that we are giving good services with value for money and using council tax prudently. However, we remain the second lowest government funded county council in the country, and this, coupled with the needs of our ageing population, has meant that we have had to raise council tax by more than I would have wished by a further 4.8%.